Validación psicométrica de escalas PSS-14, AFA-R, HDRS, CES-D, EV en puérperas mexicanas con y sin preeclampsia

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale in Russian adolescents

This study involved a psychometric analysis of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). To investigate the Russian version of the PSS-10 for adolescents, 3530 adolescents aged 13-17 years were recruited. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the data corresponded to the expected two-factor configuration. Psychometric properties and factor structure were evaluated. As expected, the PSS-10 included two factors: perceived helplessness and perceived self-efficacy. Internal consistency demonstrated acceptable values (Cronbach's alpha was 0.82 for perceived helplessness, 0.77 for perceived self-efficacy, and 0.80 for the overall PSS score). Measurement invariance across sexes was assessed, and configural and metric invariance were confirmed. The developed diagnostic tool can be used both in the school system to alleviate the negative consequences of academic stress in adolescents and, in the future, in other areas, particularly in clinical practice.

The Mental Health of the Peruvian Older Adult during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the pandemic, the elderly population was the most exposed to disease and changes in their daily lives. The objective was to determine the association between demographic factors, access to health services, sources of information, and physical symptoms in the mental health of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic-a study with 3828 older adults residing in nine cities in Peru. The data was collected using a web-based survey, and the instruments of demographic data; exposure to information (radio, television, and internet); and presence of physical symptoms, anxiety, and perceived stress were used. Descriptive and analytical analysis was performed. Female sex, those aged between 60 and 79 years old, those with secondary education, those in their own home, those residing in an urban area, and those using public services of health predominated in this study. Likewise, 62.9% presented depressive symptoms; on the stress scale, an average of 27.81 (SD = 8.71), and on the anxiety scale, an average of 27.24 (SD = 6.04). Moreover, 65.1% reported fatigue, 62.2% had a headache, and 61.2% lack of energy. There is an association between demographic variables and the physical and psychological symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in the elderly during the pandemic.

The Mental Health of Older Adults in the Densely Populated Areas of Tacna Region-Peru, 2021: Implications of the COVID-19 Information

The purpose of this research was to analyze the implications of exposure to various news channels that broadcast information on COVID-19 and their impact on the mental health of older adults in the sparsely populated area of the Tacna Region during the year 2021. The present study used a descriptive correlational type of quantitative approach on a sample of 389 older adults aged 60 years and over, who were recruited by non-probabilistic convenience sampling. For the application of the survey technique, the instrument used was a questionnaire modified by the authors. In terms of research ethics for the development of the study, the respondents provided informed consent, and other ethical considerations were addressed. In relation to sociodemographic variables of mental health, it was found that women had a greater incidence of anxiety (p < 0.01) and that people with fewer years of study had a greater incidence of depression (p < 0.01) and anxiety in sparsely populated areas. Exposure to news through television was associated with depression, and news obtained from other people was associated with depression (p < 0.001). An association was also found between the number of hours of television news and stress (p < 0.05), and radio news was associated with anxiety (p < 0.05). In terms of psychological consequences, the highest mean for television exposure was fear, while the greatest psychological consequence of radio news was fear, followed by stress and awareness. Finally, negative, inverse, and significant relationships were found that indicate protective factors, such as depression with awareness and indignation, and anxiety was inversely related to awareness.

Repetitive Negative Thinking Processes Account for Gender Differences in Depression and Anxiety During Adolescence

Rumination and worry are vulnerability factors involved in the early development of depression and anxiety during adolescence, particularly in girls. Current views conceptualize rumination and worry as transdiagnostic forms of repetitive negative thinking (RNT). However, most of research has analyzed them separately, without considering gender differences. We analyzed common and specific roles of rumination and worry in accounting for depressive and anxiety symptom levels overall and as a function of gender in adolescents (N = 159). Rumination and worry items were loaded into separate RNT factors. Girls showed a higher use of rumination and worry and higher levels of depression and anxiety than boys. Structural equation modeling supported that both RNT factors accounted for gender differences in symptom levels: rumination was the strongest mediator for depression and worry the strongest mediator for anxiety. Our findings support both general and specific contributions of RNT to account for affective symptomatology during adolescence, particularly in girls.

COVID-19 pandemic and health worker stress: The mediating effect of emotional regulation

Background/Introduction

Psychological and physical well-being of health personnel has been significantly affected by COVID-19. Work overload and continuous exposure to positive COVID-19 cases have caused them fatigue, stress, anxiety, insomnia and other detriments. This research aims: 1) to analyze whether the use of cognitive reevaluation and emotional suppression strategies decreases and increases, respectively, stress levels of health personnel; 2) to quantify the impact of contact with patients with COVID-19 on stress levels of medical staff.

Method

Emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reevaluation and emotional expression) and stress levels were evaluated in 155 Dominican physicians who were treating people infected with COVID-19 at the moment of the study (67.9% women and 32.1% men; mean age = 34.89; SD = 9.26). In addition, a questionnaire created by the researchers quantified the impact that contact with those infected had on their stress levels.

Results

Contact with patients with COVID-19 predicts increased use of emotion suppression strategies, although is not associated with the use of cognitive reevaluation. These findings lead to an even greater increase in stress on health care providers.

Conclusions

Contextual contingencies demand immediate responses and may not allow health personnel to use cognitive re-evaluation strategies, leaning more towards emotion suppression. However, findings regarding high levels of stress require the implementation of intervention programs focused on the promotion of more functional emotion regulation strategies. Such programs may reduce current stress and prevent post-traumatic symptoms.

Design and Psychometric Analysis of the Stressors and Modulators of Gestational Stress Inventory (SMGSI)

Gestational stress is associated with many maternal and child complications, however, this association must be taken with care, since there are studies that find inconsistent results between stress measures and maternal complications. It is believed that the lack of convergence is due to the way in which gestational stress is evaluated.The aim of the present study was to design and validate an instrument based on a bio-psycho-social model of gestational stress. The design and validation process of the inventory was divided into four phases: (a) Construction of the items bank and content validity, (b) construct validity, (c) inventory reliability and (d) convergent and discriminant validity with psychometric instruments that have been used in other investigations to evaluate gestational stress.A valid and reliable Stressors and Modulators of Gestational Stress Inventory (SMGSI) conformed by two scales was developed: (a) Gestational stressors, which is formed by two factors, the psychological stressors and social stressors with a variance of 48.5% and 51.8% and a reliability of .79 and .67, respectively; and (b) gestational stress modulators integrated by 8 items that explain 55.2% of the variance and with a reliability of .92. In conclusion, a valid and reliable tool was obtained that measures gestational stress from a bio-psycho-social perspective. This inventory allows for the identification of allostatic and pantostatic stress, making it useful as a diagnostic tool to prevent maternal and childhood complications that are associated with chronic gestational stress.